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IPL 2026 Playoff Race Home Advantage Analysis: The 19th season of the Indian Premier League has now reached its decisive point, where every match can change the picture of the playoffs. 48 out of 70 matches have been completed, but the points table is still very tight. punjab kings After defeating Hyderabad by 33 runs, Sunrisers Hyderabad team has reached the top with 14 points. At the same time, there is a slight lead between Punjab and defending champion Royal Challengers Bangalore, while sixth-placed Chennai Super Kings is just 3 points behind them. In such a situation, each match has now become like ‘do or die’ for every team.

This season, a trend is clearly visible – the teams which are strong on their home ground are ahead in the race for the playoffs. The top-6 teams have performed better at home, while the bottom-ranked teams faltered at home. Lucknow Super Giants Lost all their 4 home matches, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals also performed very poorly at home. The condition of Mumbai Indians was also no different, where they could win only 2 out of 6 matches.

Top teams performed brilliantly at home

On the contrary, the top teams used their home ground like a fortress. Punjab won 3 out of 4 matches and still have 3 home matches left. RCB has strengthened its position by winning 4 out of 5. Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Gujarat Titans also remain in the race on the basis of their domestic performance. Hyderabad has won 4 out of 6 matches.

Is the route to the playoffs passing through the ‘home ground’?

Now that the league is in its final stages, one thing is very clear – the path to the playoffs in IPL 2026 is passing through the ‘home ground’ only. Only those teams which won at home will advance, and those which missed here, their journey may end here.